08-04-2025
New report makes recommendations to curb domestic violence in Newport News
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A new report out of Newport News helped to make several recommendations to identify strategies to prevent domestic violence fatalities within the city.
The report, called the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Report, coincides with National Crime Victims' Rights Week and includes demographic information, medical examiner reports and criminal histories.
According to the report, 234 homicides — around 21% of all homicides in the city — were related to domestic violence.
A release on the report states that the Commonwealth's Attorney Howard E. Gwynn, the Newport News Police Department and several other organizations went over domestic violence related deaths between 2017 and 2023. Due to this, the team was able to find ways to strengthen professional training and community education.
'Strong prosecution of domestic violence is homicide prevention,' Gwynn stated. 'I recognize that truly safe communities require partnerships that extend far beyond the walls of the courthouse, so we continue to work with our partners to end domestic violence in Newport News, building safety through collaboration with this community.'
The report found that most domestic-related homicides occurred within shared residences, and that 75% of the time, firearms were the fatal agent. As a result of the findings, recommendations include ongoing training to help identify and report suspected abused or neglected children, expanding education on firearm safety and increasing support for victim advocacy services.
Law enforcement agencies and the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office have already started to engage with students at Newport News Public Schools to help educate teens on how to identify and get help with domestic violence and dating violence.
'We stand against the silence of abuse,' Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said. 'We will continue to work with our community partners to break the chains of violence and provide unwavering support to identify ways to prevent and put an end to domestic violence in our community.'
The full report can be read in full here.
If you or you know someone who may be a victim of domestic violence or child abuse, for a list of local and national resources.
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